Fold-away display stand



P 1955 E. G. ENGLAND FOLD-AWAY DISPLAY STAND Filed Aug. 17, 1953 United States Patent O FOLD-AWAY DISPLAY STAND Elwood G. England, Garden City, N. Y. v Application August 17, 1953, Serial No. 374,715 Claims. (Cl. 19(l16) This invention relates to display stands.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a fold-away display stand which may be readily and easily folded into a compact, out of the way unit within suitcases when not in use and which may as easily be folded to an operative position for displaying the wares of the salesman. It is another object of the present invention to provide a fold-away display stand of the above type which may be easily and readily attached to conventional suitcases and which includes a pair of vertically spaced telescopic shelves which may be easily extended to support a large number of wares.

Other objects of the present invention are to provide a fold-away display stand bearing the above objects in mind which is of simple construction, inexpensive to manufacture, has a minimum number of parts, is easy to use and eificient in operation.

For other objects and a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the device in operative use;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary side elevational view showing the device partly folded away;

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view taken along the line 44 of Fig. l and Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of Fig. 1.

Referring now to the drawings, represents any suitcase having the usual hinged cover 11 as well as the pivoted handle 12 and the latches 13.

In the practice of my invention, a fold-away display stand is provided and includes a pair of angle brackets 14 secured to the inside of cover 11 by means of rivets 15. These rivets may, of course, be replaced by suitable screws and wing nuts to permit the attachment of the brackets 14 to any one of a plurality of suitcases, without departing from the scope of the invention.

A second pair of angle brackets 16 is pivotally connected to the top ends of the brackets 14 by means of pins 17, the brackets 16 being disposed on the inner faces of the brackets 14. The vertical portions 18 of brackets 16 are provided with longitudinally spaced slots within which are suitably secured a pair of channel shaped members 19 (Fig. 2), the channel shaped members 19 serving as a display shelf for shoes 20 provided with shoe forms 21 or any other wares, not shown. The brackets 16 will be disposed in a substantially horizontal position of Fig. 1 due to the abutment of the inner edges 22 thereof with the inner face of cover 11, while at the same time permitting the brackets 16 to be rotated upwardly so as to be parallel to the cover 11 (Fig. 3). A pivoted stop 23 suitably mounted within the cover 11 is adapted to be rotated across the face of the innermost channel member 19 when the latter is rotated to the inoperative position whereby to retain the same. To permit the channel members 19 to ice be rotated to the horizontal position of Fig. 1, it is only necessary to rotate the stop 23, as will be obvious. The channel members 19 extend through the vertical portions 18 at each end and are open and slidably receive the intermediate channel members 24, the latter being open at their other ends and in turn telescopically receiving the outer U-shaped channel members 25. Each of the intermediate channel members 24 is stamped downwardly with a stop 26 (Fig. 4) and adapted to abut the vertical portion 18 whereby to limit the outward displacement of the members 24. Suitable flanges 27 integrally formed in the outer end of the intermediate members 24 serve to abut stops 28 stamped in the inner ends of the outer members 25 whereby to limit the outer displacement of the latter.

Angle brackets 29 are pivotally mounted at one end to the lower ends of the brackets 14 by means of pins 30, the brackets 29 being mounted on the outer faces of the brackets 14 and permitting the brackets 29 to nest within the brackets 16 when both are folded to the inoperative position. Angle brackets 31 are pivotally connected to the outer ends of the brackets 29 by means of pins 32, the brackets 31 being adapted to fold inwardly against the brackets 29, as shown in Fig. 3. The vertical portions 33 of the brackets 31 are provided with cut outs 35 adapted to receive therewithin the front wall of the suitcase 10, providing support thus for the brackets 31. To rigidly connect the brackets 31 and 29, a pair of braces 36 are pivotally connected to the brackets 29 by means of pins 37 and are provided with cut outs 38 adapted to engage pins 39 carried by brackets 31, as will be obvious. The brackets or braces 36 will be rotated away from the pins 39 when it is desired to fold the device away. Corresponding channel shaped members 19 are also mounted between the vertical portions 33 of brackets 31 and telescopically receive the intermediate members 24 and the outer members 25 in the same manner as described above.

Thus, a pair of shelves vertically and laterally spaced apart and of extendible length are provided upon opening the suitcase 10 and unfolding the device to the operative position. The shoes 20, or other wares, may thus be displayed in an effective manner. To fold the device away, it is necessary to only swing the braces 36 out of engagement with the pins 39 and to fold the brackets 16 upwardly against the inner face of the cover 11, whereupon the brackets 29 may be folded back into nesting relationship With the brackets 16, the brackets 31 being folded back into nesting relation with the brackets 29. The channel members 19 will be retained against the inner face of cover 11 by the pivoted stop 23. Thus, the display device when not in use is compactly folded away and occupies a minimum of space.

While various changes may be made in the detail construction, it shall be understood that such changes shall be within the spirit and scope of the present invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus set forth and disclosed the nature of my invention, what is claimed is:

1. A fold-away display stand comprising a first pair of angle brackets, means for securing said angle brackets to the inner face of a suitcase cover or the like in longitudinally spaced, lateral disposition, a second pair of angle brackets pivotally connected to the upper ends of said first angle brackets, a first pair of channel shaped members connecting said second pair of angle brackets, a second pair of channel shaped members telescopically received within said first pair of channel shaped members, and third channel shaped members connected at their ends telescopically received within said second intermediate channel members, means for limiting the outward displacement of said second intermediate channel members relative to said first channel members and means for limiting the outer displacement of said third outer channel members relative to said intermediate channel members, releasable means for retaining said first channel members adjacent to the inner face of the cover of the suitcase, a third pair of angle brackets pivotally connected to the other ends of said first pair of angle brackets mounted within said cover, a fourth pair of angle brackets pivotally connected to said third pair of angle brackets, said fourth pair of angle brackets being adapted to fold into nesting relation with said third pair of angle brackets, releasable means for fixedly connecting said third and fourth pair of angle brackets, said fourth pair of angle brackets having longitudinally aligned slots adapted to engage the front wall of the suitcase, a fourth pair of channel members secured intermediate said fourth pair of angle brackets, a fifth pair of channel shaped members telescopically received within said fourth pair of channel members and sixth channel shaped members telescopically received within said intermediate channel members and connected at their ends, means for limiting the outward displacement of said fifth intermediate channel members relative to said fourth channel members and means for limiting the outer displacement of said sixth outer channel members relative to said fifth intermediate channel members.

2. A fold-away display stand according to claim 1, said means for limiting the outer displacement of said second and fifth intermediate channel members relative to said first and fourth channel members comprising stops on the inner ends of said second and fifth intermediate channel members adapted to abut said second and fourth angle brackets.

3. A display stand according to claim 2, said means for limiting the outer displacement of said third and sixth outer channel shaped members relative to said second and fifth intermediate channel members comprising flanges on the outer ends of said second and fifth intermediate channel members and stops on the inner ends of said third and sixth outer channel members adapted to abut said flanges.

4. A fold-away display stand according to claim 3, said means for releasably connecting said third and fourth pair of angle brackets comprising braces pivotally connected to one of said third and fourth pair of angle brackets and having cut out portions adapted to engage a cooperating pin carried by the other of said third and fourth angle brackets.

5. A fold-away display stand, according to claim 4, said releasable means for retaining said first pair of channel members adjacent to the inner face of the cover of the suitcase comprising a pin rotatably mounted in the cover and a flange at the outer end of said pin disposed at right angles thereto, said flange being adapted to be rotated into engagement with one of said first pair of channel members when the latter is disposed adjacent the inner face of the cover of the suitcase, whereby to retain said first pair of channel members in an inoperative position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

